Gloucester-Hartpury vs Sale Sharks

Kickoff: 3pm, Saturday 15th November

Venue: Kingsholm

Watch on: Youtube

The reigning Champions' rampaging start to the season looks set to continue with a fixture at home against the Sale Sharks. Gloucester-Hartpury have already beaten Saracens, Harlequins and Exeter so this game should, on paper, be another comfortable win. However, Sale are a much more dangerous prospect this season and have the weapons to hurt any team in the league. 

Sale's point of difference in this game is the fly-half battle. Lleucu George is a solid 10, but Holly Aitchison is a World-class operator. If Aitchison can use her array of skills to manoeuvre her side into advantageous positions, and take advantage of Amy Cokayne's set-piece prowess, Sale can keep themselves in this game. Unfortunately for Aitchison, she will have a much tougher task than her opposite number. George is helped massively by a pack that is filled to the brim with international stars in a group that is unmatched across the league. 

This feels like a free shot for Sale up against a team that looks almost unstoppable so far this season. Gloucester-Hartpury have to be the favourites in this one.

Team news

Gloucester-Hartpury

Starting XV

1.El Perry 2.Neve Jones 3.Sisilia Tuipulotu 4.Sam Monaghan 5.Sarah Beckett

6.Zoe Stratford(CC) 7.Bethan Lewis 8.Alex Mathews 9.Natasha Hunt(CC) 10.Lleucu George

11.Pip Hendy 12.Tatyana Heard 13.Hannah Dallavalle 14.Rachel Lund 15.Mia Venner

Bench

16.Lucy Simpson 17.Erin Bradley 18.Ranni Samuda 19.Tabitha Copson

20.Georgia Brock 21.Bianca Blackburn 22.Lizzie Goulden 23.Nel Metcalfe

Sale Sharks 

Starting XV

1.Gwen Pyrs 2.Amy Cokayne(C) 3.Nick James 4.Iona Antwis 5.Morwenna Talling

6.Sharifa Kasolo 7.Katie Childs 8.Erica Jarrell-Searcy 9.Olivia Ortiz 10.Holly Aitchison

11.Nikita Prothero 12.Katana Howard 13.Evie Wills 14.Rhona Lloyd 15.Lizzie Duffy

Bench

16.Scarlett Fielding 17.Tysh Harper 18.Sophie Benavent 19.Charlotte Fray 

20.Georgie Perris-Redding 21.Amy Relf 22.Beatrice Rigoni 23.Shona Campbell

Saracens vs Leicester Tigers

Kickoff: 3pm, Saturday 15th November

Venue: StoneX Stadium

Watch on: Youtube

This game looks set to be very one-sided. Leicester have played 2 games this season and conceded 120 points whilst scoring just 17 in reply. Meanwhile, Saracens have scored 94 points in 3 games, including a round one nightmare against Gloucester-Hartpury. The home side have made several changes and several key stars are being rested. Zoe Harrison and Jess Breach are amongst those not in the side, but Saracens still have to be the favourites.

Leicester will hope that their American duo of Bitter and Feury can keep them on track with Saracens' stars not playing in those positions. Saracens will look to bludgeon Leicester with their pack that still boasts several stars. Rosie Galligan and Poppy Cleall headline a very strong pack that will be boosted by more England stars off the bench in the second half. Saracens are comfortable favourites for this one.

Team news

Saracens

Starting XV
1.Liz Crake 2.Bryony Field 3.Donna Rose 4.Julia omokhuale 5.Rosie Galligan

6.Georgia Evans 7.Charlotte Wright-Haley 8.poppy Cleall(C) 9.Tori Sellors 10.Amelia MacDougall

11.Lotte Sharp 12.Emma Hardy 13.Sydney Gregson 14.Paige Farries 15.Jemma-Jo Linkins

Bench

16.May Campbell(C) 17.Chloe Flanagan 18.Carmen Tremelling 19.Louise McMillan

20.Marlie Packer 21.Olivia Apps 22.Beth Blacklock 23.Sarah McKenna

Leicester Tigers

Starting XV
1.Ellie Smith 2.Micke Gunter 3.Lauren Poole 4.Hermione Farmer 5.Emerson Allen

6.jordan Russell 7.Morgan Richardson 8.Tiana Gordon 9.Jenny Maxwell(C) 10.Kristin Bitter

11.Emily Henrich 12.Georgie Lingham 13.Jemima McCalman 14.Grace Deana 15.Tess Feury

Bench

16.Alana Bainbridge 17.Danielle Allen Solly 18.Clodagh Dunne 19.Leah Heath

20.Alicia Watkins 21.Eneka Labeyrie 22.Zoe Evans 23.Karolina Kacirkova

Trailfinders vs Bristol Bears

Kickoff: 3pm, Saturday 15th November

Venue: Trailfinders Sports Club

Watch on: BBC iPlayer

This is a potentially totemic game for Trailfinders. Bristol finished 4th last season and are the team that the Londoners need to chase down in order to achieve their aims. They'll do so with a strong pack that boasts plenty of experience. Bristol have a slight edge in the front row, but the back five battle looks set to be a special one. Moore and Borland are a strong Irish-Kiwi duo in the second row and Trailfinder's back row includes the experienced Rachel Malcolm and Kate Zackary as well as England's Abi Burton. Scotland's Evie Gallagher will have her work cut out in trying to counter that group.

Trailfinders have more stars across the back line. In the back 3, Julia Schell and Francesca McGhie are deadly runners that give their side a threat from anywhere on the pitch. Inside of them, Meg Jones brings the boom in midfield. Her match-up against Emma Orr will be fascinating. Orr is a less physical centre but she makes up for it with her pace and try-scoring abilities. Reneeqa Bonner and Millie David will be under pressure on the wings against more experienced opponents. 

This looks set to be a great contest between 2 evenly-matched teams. I think Trailfinders have the edge in this one.

Team news

Trailfinders

Starting XV
1.Alivia Leatherman 2.Georgia Ponsonby 3.Maya Montiel 4.Grace Moore 5.Alana Borland

6.Rachel Malcolm 7.Kate Zackary(C) 8.Abi Burton 9.Ella Amory 10.Claire Gallagher

11.Francesca McGhie 12.Carys Cox 13.Meg Jones 14.Grace White 15.Julia Schell

Bench

16.Niamh Swailes 17.Cana Williams 18.Mica Evans 19.Emma Taylor

20.Haidee Head 21.Brooke Bradley 22.Niamh Gallagher 23.Rosie Inman

Bristol Bears

Starting XV

1.Simi Pam 2.Holly Phillips 3.Sarah bern 4.Hollie Cunningham 5.Delaney Burns

6.Christiana Balogun 7.Jenny Herring 8.Evie Gallagher 9.Keira Bevan 10.Lucie Skuse

11.Millie David 12.Ella Lovibond 13.Emma Orr 14.Reneeqa Bonner 15.Jenny Hesketh

Bench

16.Amy Dale 17.Maisie Davies 18.Aisha Jah 19.Talia John 

20.Nicola Beet 21.Tilly Ryall 22.Savannah Picton-Powell 23.Jasmine Joyce

Exeter Chiefs vs Harlequins

Kickoff: 12:30pm, Sunday 16th November

Venue: Sandy Park

Watch on: TNT Sports 1

The game of this round that has been selected for TNT Sports is Exeter vs Harlequins. These teams have had mixed starts to the season. Exeter Have had a win, a draw and a loss already whilst Harlequins have won once and lost twice. Those 2 defeats came against Saracens and Gloucester-Hartpury so this game will be a better test of where exactly they are. 

Exeter have the advantage in the front row with internationals starting and on the bench whilst Harlequins' strengths are in the back 5. Sae and Konkel are 2 stars of the game that will pair up in the second row whilst Sae's fellow Black Fern Mikaele-Tu'u lines up at number 8. If Harlequins can get on top in the physical aspect of this game, they can take the game away from the Chiefs with the likes of Kildunne and Pena.

Harlequins are my pick for this game.

Team news

Exeter Chiefs

Starting XV

1.Hope Rogers 2.Emily Tuttosi 3.DaLeaka Menin 4.Linde van der Velden 5.Emily Robinson(C)

6.Gabriella Nigrelli 7.Maisy Allen 8.Maddie Feaunati 9.Flo Robinson 10.Liv McGoverne

11.Claudia Moloney-Macdonald 12.Alex Tessier 13.Nancy McGillivray 14.Katie Buchanan 15.Merryn Elworthy

Bench

16.Cliodhna Moloney-Macdonald 17.Demi Swann 18.Amy Rule 19.Dorothy Wall

20.Zoe Dare 21.Lucy Nye 22.Gabby Cantorna 23.Francesca Granzotto

Harlequins 

Starting XV

1.Hannah Sims 2.Carys Phillips 3.Lizzie Hanlon 4.Layla Sae 5.Jade Konkel

6.Nicole Wythe 7.Sara Svoboda 8.Liana Mikaele-Tu'u 9.Lucy Packer 10.Kayleigh Powell

11.Beth Wilcock 12.Sarah parry 13.Claudia Pena 14.Coreen Grant 15.Ellie Kildunne

Bench

16.Maja Mueller 17.Silvia Turani 18.Jessie Spurrier 19.Tyla Shirley

20.Manuqalo Komaitai 21.Lucy Burgess 22.Ella Cromack 23.Lagi Tuima